PART TWO
Two weeks had passed since that encounter between them. But nothing changed. Radhika did not change her mind. She knew she loved Arjun and Arjun loved him - A perfect picture. But then, how can she forget her best friend who stood beside her all the time. How can she forget Sam? Hence, Radhika decided to retreat herself from him.
These two weeks were very painful for Arjun too. He did not talk to Radhika, simply because she never came in front of him. Arjun sensed that Radhika was hiding herself, and this worked like salt on his wound. All the ceremonies of Sam's and Arjun's marriage were performed during these two weeks and every one witnessed the happiness on Arjun's face. Everyone witnessed the happiness on Radhika's face. But as soon as the day was over, they retired from their work and did what they wanted to do - cry.
***
Day after tomorrow, it was the D- Day, the wedding day. Arjun looked up at the clock, it was 9 p.m. Standing up from the window sill, wiping up his tears, he went to Nandini's room. He had to do it.
"Nandini Di?"
"Arjun?" Nandini looked up from the book she was reading to find Arjun standing at her door. "Come in."
"Di..."
"What happened, Arjun? Any problem?"
"Di...I..." Nandini raised her eyebrows. "What?" she asked.
"I don't want to do this." Arjun said in one breath, his eyes closed.
"What do you don't want to do?" Nandini said patting on the place beside her on the bed, gesturing him to sit down.
"I...Di, promise me, you will listen to me." Arjun asked holding her hands.
"Yes, of course. When it has not been?" Nandini smiled.
"Di, I have come to a conclusion."
"What?"
"I...I love someone."
Nandini stared hard at Arjun, looking at him in shock.
"Who... Samaira?"
"No, No, No. How can it be Samaira? It...it is Radhika whom I love."
Nandini withdrew her hands from Arjun's. This had to be the biggest shock in her life.
"What? Why? I mean, how all this happened?" she asked moving back. Completely shocked.
"Di! Please! Try and understand. I...There's one more thing."
"Don't tell me you don't want to do this marriage!"
"Yes, Di."
"A... Arjun? What are you saying? Huh?" Nandini shouted at him, all teary. "You are going to betray me? ME? For that girl, whom you know for about one month, you will do this to your Di? How can you, Arjun? "
"Nandu! I know, but..." Arjun sobbed silently. After all, this was the first time he had hurt his Di.
"Arjun, Go. We'll talk about it later." Nandini cut her in between.
"But Di..."
"I SAID GO!"
***
"Nan...Nandini Di?"
Arjun was in the drawing room. He could see Nandini sitting on the couch facing her back towards him.
"Di?" Arjun called out again. This time, she turned around.
"Sit." Arjun obeyed.
"Di...I..."
"I've decided." Nandu answered even before the question was asked.
"I've decided that" she continued, "You will attend the marriage."
"Arjun's face immediately fell. He had prepared himself for this, but the pain he felt now, was..."
"You will marry, Arjun." Nandini brought him out of his trance. He looked up at her, eyes welled up. "You will marry Radhika, Arjun. You will marry your love."
***
Radhika refused to go to Bird Song today, faking a bad cold. When Arjun noticed that Radhika was missing, he went to Sam's cabin hoping to get an answer.
"Sam?"
"O! Hey would be hubby!" she chirped in her usual way.
"Where's Neil?"
"What do you have to do with him?" she asked, her eyebrows raised, lips pursed together, not allowing the smile playing on her lips to come out.
"New project, Sam. Neil and Radhika have to be in my cabin right now. Now where is he?"
"Oh! Neil is out for his shopping. He didn't tell me though the reason for this unusual shopping. And Chashni has cold."
"What?"
"What what?
"Chash...Radhika has cold?"
"Ya. Poor soul. She was sneezing continuously since morning. So, took a leave."
Just then, her phone ring. It was an unknown number. With a confused look on her face as to who would call her early this morning, Samaira picked up the call.
***
They were standing on the deserted land, panicked. The person who called Sam had demanded one lakh rupees, stating that Neil was with him. Not sure whether it was a prank or not, she tried calling Neil innumerable times, only to get no response. Panicked, she reached the outskirts of Mumbai, with Arjun on her side.
*BOOM*
Sam fell on the ground. Arjun looked down with a shocked expression. Everything happened so quick that he just couldn't understand. And then, he screamed.
"RADHIKAA!"
Radhika was lying on the ground, blood oozing out from her left shoulder. Sam who was lying beside her, turned her head around to find her Chashni lying beside her, her eyes shut due to the pain. She looked up at the direction from where the sound came, and there she saw her, with the gun, looking at Radhika with anger in her eyes.
"Nandini Di..." Sam said in shock as she stood up. Arjun looked up to find her Nandu standing there with the gun.
"You...Can...Cannot kill Sam, Nandini..." Radhika said with a painful voice, as she got up with her right hand over her left shoulder.
"Of course I can." Shouted Nandini. "You didn't want to take my revenge na?" she continued, the gun, now pointing towards Arjun.
"Fine. Don't do it. I don't mind. In fact, I don't CARE! I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! Because, I will complete my revenge, on my own. By killing you. By killing you all! Do you hear that? DO YOU? I will kill you!" and with that, Nandini pressed the trigger, and the bullet released itself.
"Aah!" A short scream escaped her mouth as she fell on Arjun from her back. Radhika had again thrown herself between Nandini and her prey, this time, letting the bullet pass through the center of her chest. Arjun, slowly kept her down, still in her hands. Sam looked at them, in shock.
As her lids got heavy, she could hear the siren. Yes, the police she had called, had come. She turned around to find Nandini running. Turning towards Sam, Radhika managed to say, "Go, stop her. Poi...Police come...ing..."
Sam did what she was told. Wiping away her tears, she ran towards Nandini.
"Radhika!" Arjun cried, his tears falling on her face, mixing with hers.
"I have less time...Si...Sir. Tell her...the truth...She...Deser...ves...it. "
"Radhika! Please! Don't leave me! Please!"
"No, Si...r. I can't."
"Radhika, I love you! Please"
"I...Lo...Love you too...Arjun...I'll always be...be...there."
***
The electricity was gone, again. This was the most common problem of Delhi. The electricity shortage. Arjun breathed hard as he walked down the window sill. The light of his life was gone, and now, he is afraid of the darkness, which he once loved. Holding its side, he sat on the bed, and closed his eyes, waiting for the light to come. And as soon as his eyes were closed, he heard her.
"Arjun!"
Arjun opened his eyes. Then shaking his head, he closed his eyes again.
"Come with me"
"Where?" he murmured.
"To light. Away from this darkness."
"How?"
"Do what I say. Take a deep breath."
Arjun took a deep breath.
"Now think of that which is very close to your heart."
Arjun did the same. And there he saw her face. His love. His life.
"It's you." He again murmured.
"See? I am always with you. I never left you."
He smiled, his eyes still closed.
"Then why do you cry?"
"Because I miss you."
"No you don't I'm in your heart, with you. Always. I'm not away, Arjun. All this while, when you were crying, I too cried. Because you know how much I love you. So please, stop giving pain to me."
"Please come back..."
"I'm always there Arjun. Besides you. Ready to wipe your tears away and take you towards light. You just need to open your eyes to see me."
He felt a soft hand brushing against his cheek, wiping away his tears. Arjun opened his eyes to find her, He smiled.
"You're afraid?" she spoke, her soft childish voice echoing in the silent room.
"Not when you are there." Arjun smiled.
"Come with me." She said giving him her hand.
"Where?" Arjun asked holding it.
"To light, Arjun."
"Radhika! Arjun! Come fast!" Sam screamed from the hall.
"Come fast! Mom and Dadda are waiting!" Radhika whispered.
"Neil's home?" arjun asked as he stood up holding her hand.
"Yups! Now come!!"
Arjun smiled as Radhika dragged him away from darkness, towards light. No one knew how she came there, how she got to know the plan of Nandini. That, Radhika never told anyone. But Arjun knew one thing. He knew that she will always be with him. No matter where she is, Radhika will always reside in his heart, in his memories...
Edited by swaralika - 10 years ago
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